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"Inspiring Education: a Dialogue with Albertans" as a bridge between academia, government and community Dian Mitrayani & R. Don Peel Northern Illinois University & University of Hawai’i Man oa

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Page 1: Inspiring Education: a Dialogue with Albertans as a bridge ... · Inspiring Education a dialogue about what education is and what education means ... concepts at their own place and

"Inspiring Education: a

Dialogue with Albertans"

as a bridge between

academia, government and

community

Dian Mitrayani & R. Don Peel

Northern Illinois University &

University of Hawai’i Man��oa

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... knowledge must continually be renewedby ceaseless effort, if it is not to be lost. It resembles a statue of marble which stands in the desert and is continually threatened with burial by the shifting sand. The hands of service must ever be at work, in order that the marble continue to lastingly shine in the sun. To these serving hands mine shall also belong. (Albert Einstein, On Education, 1950)

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Our Hopes

Share students’ visions on teaching and learning

Reflect on your own teaching and learning pedagogy

“The Buddy System” - Pat Hutchings

Collaboration between students, faculties, and staffs - to trade info

Bridge between academia, government and community

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introduction

Name

Affiliation

Research interests

Have you heard about “Inspiring

Education”?

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Human Nature

to be important in some way to somebody

to improve the world in some way, small or large

The fundamental questions:

“Can I make a difference?

and

do I care to make a positive difference?”Source: Stoneman (2002)

Youth = investment in human nature

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

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Tapped into the youth

The most essential stakeholder in education

Often viewed as oppressed group

Subjected of control by adults

Ideas and opinions are rarely taken into account

Perfect source for issue-based advocacy

Source: Bell (2000)

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Inspiring Education

a dialogue about what education is and what education means

started in 2008

looking to the future what education in Alberta should be in twenty years

held in 9 cities in Alberta

supported by two committees: the Steering Committee and the Working Committee

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Speak Out

aimed at students from grade 9-12 – website launched Nov. 26, 2008

Includes a Youth Advisory Council to the Minister of Education – comprised of 24 youth across Alberta 14-19 years old with a one year term (September start)

Youth Advisory Council member duties:

are ambassadors for Speak Out!

are active on the Speak Out website discussion boards and blogs.

host a Speak Out Forum using the DVD Toolkit in their school

meet with the Minister of Education a few times each year to share their perspectives on education.

receive media training, public speaking and facilitation training and leadership opportunities.

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Speak Out

In October 2009 the Speak Out team

launched the DVD toolkit. This Telly Award

winning educational program was created in

response to the overwhelming requests for

Speak Out forums to be delivered across the

province.

The Speak Out conducted 70 Speak Out

forums in the 2009–2010 school year and

spoke to almost 2,300 students.

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Speak Out on Inspiring Education

Grades are important, and are a way to reward students for their work, but grades do not necessarily correlate with a student’s future or career.

Schools provide a well-rounded education with the key subjects as priorities; option classes are important and valuable, and should continue.

Most students agree that 12 years is the right amount of time for schoolingin Canada, taking into account that students mature at different rates (and if students require more time, upgrading is an option)

The amount of required class time depends on the particular class; breaks are always appreciated.

Individualized student learning inspires a student’s initiative, innovation and responsibility—this results in student ownership and leads to greater motivation, interest and success.

School is where students learn the basic skills and knowledge to prepare for their careers; school should be a privilege and opportunity for both student and teachers, and balance between structure and freedom.

Students learn through a hands-on approach, visually and kinetically, through assignments and creative projects, by listening, by applying concepts at their own place and by taking notes.

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International youth gathering (16-28 years old) to learn from each other and become part of a movement to advance peace and human rights

Perfect event to extend the Alberta Government invitation of Inspiring Education dialogue to the national and international youth

Our goals are:

To stimulate and build ideas about future education that will be submitted to the Alberta Government

The participants also can bring these ideas to their communities

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Global Youth Assembly

- Inspiring Education

session

20 participants - 19 youth (high school to university age) from Canada and 1 youth from Ukraine (university age)

Used the conversation kit from the Inspiring Education, and tailored made it to fit with youth group activity

Past and future learning visioning through pictures

Conversation on learning to discuss some of the stories from the picture activity

Messages to the next generation

Build Your School from Scratch

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The results summary -

Past experiences of education

Power of education in life, as compass, global connection, and key to possibilities

School acts as a disconnected institution with little bonding between students and teachers

Schooling = memorization, fast food curriculum, grade oriented

Students = receivers of information

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

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Results summary-

future visions of education

Holistic education Nurture creativity

Democratic

Interdisciplinary

Connect with nature

Humanity aspect of learning - care curriculum, culture of peace, spirituality

Constructive thinking

Equal access in education

Teachers as facilitator, students as co-teacher

Collaboration between students, teachers, and community (ensuring inclusion of elders) for education development

School is not a mold- Freedom to learn what the student passionate about, students as partners in curriculum development

Sustainability in school (green schools)

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Steering committee report (2010)

22 member Steering Committee

Informed by UNESCO’s pillars for learning

Reflects distinctive Alberta values through o Setting Direction for Special Education

o Speak Out – The Alberta Student Engagement Initiative

o Personal conversations, regional community conversations, local conversations, a provincial forum

o Ongoing online conversations/discussion/dialogue

Claims it includes every learner – urban, rural, Aboriginal, disabled, gifted, or of a minority culture

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Goals of Steering committee

1. Heighten appreciation of the importance in the life of Albertans and its increasing contribution to a prosperous society and economy.

2. Develop a clear understanding of what it will mean to be a successfully educated Albertan in twenty years.

3. Create the basis for a broad policy framework describing the overall direction, principles, and long-term goals for education in Alberta.

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The Vision manifested -

The 3 Es of education

Engaged thinker

thinks critically and makes discoveries; uses technology to learn, innovate, communicate, and discover; works with multiple perspectives and disciplines to identify problems and find best solutions; communicates the ideas to others; adapts to change with an attitude of optimism and hope for the future

Ethical citizen

builds relationships based on humility, fairness, and open-mindedness; demonstrates respect, empathy and compassion; through team work, collaboration, and communication contributes fully to the community and the world

Entrepreneurial spirit

creates opportunities and achieves goals through hard work, perseverance and discipline; strives for excellence ad earns success, explores ideas and challenges the status quo; is competitive, adaptable and resilient; has the confidence to take risks and make bold decisions in the face of adversity

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Shift to manifest vision

Policy shift

Governance shift

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Guiding principles to manifest

vision & policy development

Learner-centered

Shared responsibility and accountability

Engaged community

Inclusive, equitable access

Responsive, flexible approach

Sustainable and efficient resources

Innovation to promote and strive for excellence

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Build upon

Use the GYA results about the future of education to build upon the guiding principles

Found great similarity and synchronicity

Added several points on the guiding principles based on the youth’s voices

Emailed survey to the GYA participants

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"Learner-centered"

Stated: "Decision makers should consider the need of children and youth first and foremost when making decisions."

Does not express the importance of engaging children and youth to co-create their destiny

Recommend: “To assess the needs of children and youth, decision makers must include the voices of children and youth through participatory dialogue”

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“Shared responsibility

and accountability”

Stated: "Acknowledging that parents are the primary guide and decision makers for children, all partners in education should share responsibility and accountability for educational outcomes."

Recommend: Acknowledging that children and youth are one of the primary stakeholders, their participation should be stimulated and reflected in education development.

This process will create ownership for the stakeholders by increasing equitable responsibility and accountability

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"Engaged Communities”

Stated: “Community resources should be fully engaged to support learners, including expertise, facilities, services, and learning opportunities. Community resources – where local, provincial, national or global – should actively participate in the education of learners.”

Recommend: Special efforts should be given to create an environment for intergenerational interactions. The interaction would provide a two-way learning opportunity for both elders and children/young people to stimulate the evolution of education development

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“Sustainable and Efficient

Use of Resources”

Stated: “Decision-makers should identify and adopt strategies and structures that optimize resources (financial and human) and minimize duplication.”

Recommend: New schools must be leading models of sustainable design and consideration should be given for assessing and retrofitting or replacing existing school to house the learners in the optimum sustainable learning environment.

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What’s next?

Research options?

e.g. How does “Inspiring Education” include marginalized group?

What weight has been given to youth inputs?

Resources of Inspiring Education

http://www.inspiringeducation.alberta.ca

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